1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to electrically-powered automotive vehicles having air-cooled electrical components.
2. Background Art
Electrically-powered vehicles, including hybrid-electric vehicle (HEVs), plug-in HEVs, pure electric vehicles, etc., generally have batteries and/or other electric components located in an electric compartment in or adjacent to a passenger cabin and/or a cargo compartment of the vehicle. Electric compartments are typically located beneath and/or behind one or more of the occupant seating positions, below the passenger cabin or cargo compartment floor, and/or behind trim panels. Electric components, particularly high-voltage components, typically generate a significant amount of heat during operation and so may require some degree of active cooling. This cooling is, in many cases, accomplished by providing a relatively constant flow of air into the electric compartment from within the vehicle passenger cabin.
In one conventional vehicle layout, the electric compartment is located directly behind and/or beneath an occupant seating position or row of seating positions. An air movement device, usually a fan, draws air into the electric compartment through one or more inlets and heated exhaust air is expelled into the passenger cabin and/or cargo compartment at one or more locations. In some cases the exhaust air, rather than being returned to the passenger cabin, is ducted or otherwise directed out of the vehicle entirely. This may be achieved by directing the air into a portion of the vehicle fitted with an air extractor vent, such as are commonly found in the trunk or rear cargo area.
If both the intake and exhaust openings of the electric compartment are located close to the same seating row, at least a portion of the heated exhaust air may find its way back to the inlet and be recirculated through the compartment. Heated exhaust air directed toward a trunk or other rear cargo area may rise and find its way into the passenger cabin. This has a degrading effect on the effectiveness of cooling of the equipment in the electric compartment. In addition, if the intake is at a relatively high position in the passenger cabin, for example behind the headrest of a seating row, this recirculation of warm exhaust air may make that seating row uncomfortably warm for occupants. This warming effect will be particularly noticeable when the vehicle HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) system is in a “recirculate” mode in which little or no fresh air from outside the vehicle is drawn into the vehicle.